ST. NICHOLAS ORTHODOX CHURCH

Transcription

1 ST. NICHOLAS ORTHODOX CHURCH Let us therefore strive to preserve the holiness of our souls and to guard the purity of our bodies with all fervor -St. Nicholas of Myra American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese Ecumenical Patriarchate Fr. Nicholas Mihaly, Pastor 1123 East Avenue Erie, PA H: (814) C: (203) More Information Parish Website: Diocesan Website: StNicholasErie/ Welcome! If you are new to our parish, welcome! St. Nicholas is a welcoming Orthodox Christian parish. As a reminder, only those Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves are invited to receive Communion. For all of our visitors, Orthodox or non-orthodox, please join us for coffee downstairs; meet Fr. Nick & the parishioners! Weekly Schedule Sunday, February 24 Divine Liturgy & Panachida for Thomas & Anna Burdick on the anniversaries of their repose offered by daughter and son-in-law Patricia & Douglas Borkowski Tuesday, February 26 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy in memory of Michael & Virginia LaBoda offered by Douglas & Jean LaBoda Tuesday, February 26 3:30 PM; Emmaus Soup Kitchen Tuesday, February 26 6:00 PM; Adult Class Saturday, March 2 9:30 AM; Soul-Saturday Divine Liturgy Saturday, March 2 2:00 PM; Orthodoxy on Tap at Voodoo Brewery in Meadville Saturday, March 2 5:00 PM; Vespers Sunday, March 3 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy & Panachida for George DeHaven offered by wife, Mary & their children Confessions are available thirty minutes prior to Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of every month; thirty minutes before vespers on Saturday evenings; or by appointment. 1

2 Senior Camp Our Diocese will be hosting the second annual Senior Retreat at Camp Nazareth May Online Registration will begin on February 1, Visit acrod.org for more information and to register for the Retreat. You may also call the Camp for more information (724) Upcoming Events March 3-Pre-Lenten Brunch March 11-Great Lent Begins April 28-Great & Holy PASCHA May Senior Retreat at Camp Nazareth July 28-August 3-Camp Nazareth Soul Saturdays The first Soul Saturday of the year is March 2. During the Divine Liturgy that morning, Fr. Nick will read the names of the departed members of the parish and their families. If you have names you would like to add to the parish diptychs, the book of the dead, please give them to Fr. Nick by March 1. Prosfora The prosforas that will be used for the next few weeks were baked by our youth at yesterday s prosfora baking class. Thank you to everyone who came and helped and who offered their work for the Divine Liturgy! Special Adult Class: All About Lent Have you ever wondered why the Orthodox have Lent? Do you have questions about Lent but were afraid to ask? Come to our special adult class on Tuesday, March 5 where all of your questions will be answered! Pre-Lenten Brunch On Sunday, March 3, the Ladies Altar Society will be hosting a pre-lenten brunch following the Divine Liturgy for the parish. Come and enjoy good food and each other s company before the Great Fast! If you have any questions, please see Joanne Coursin or Pat Molly. Basket Raffle The Ladies Altar Society is raffling off a basket of goodies! Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 and can be purchased from Joanne Coursin during coffee hour. The drawing will take place at the Pre -Lenten Brunch on Sunday, March 3. Donor Recently, an anonymous donor has come forward willing to match, up to $10,000, any profit from any fundraisers St. Nicholas has for the 2019 calendar year. We are currently planning some exciting and fun events for our parish in order to take advantage of the generosity of this donor. Thank you! Mar Birthdays & Anniversaries 1 Mike Jovanovich 3 Shirley Williams 6 Theodore Molly 8 Barbara Naculich If you would like Many Years to be sung for you or a loved one, please let Fr. Nick know prior to the beginning of Divine Liturgy 2

3 ACRY Annua/Diocesan Yearbook This is an exciting time for the A.C.R.Y. Annual and Diocesan Yearbook as for the first time in its long history it will be available in full-color from front to back and available as a downloadable digital file. If you would like to purchase a hard copy, please see Phyllis Tarasovich. Hard copies are $ If you are an A.C.R.Y. member or have purchased a hard-copy of the A.C.R.Y. Annual, you may access and download your digital copy by visiting and entering your Free-Access Code found on Page 3 of the book: If you are not an A.C.R.Y. member and have not purchased a hard copy of the A.C.R.Y. Annual, you may purchase a downloadable version for just $6 by visiting: _acry_annual_january_2019_for_o Any questions regarding access to the digital version of the A.C.R.Y. Annual can be forwarded to Father Matthew Stagon at (973) or Father William Bennett at (212) Kielbasa Sale There are still a few pounds of Kielbasa left for sale at $6.00 per pound. Please see Fr. Nick if you d like to purchase some! 3

4 Parish Prayer List Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. James 5:16 For the Health of Fr. John Baranik, Fr. Lawrence Barriger, Fr. James Gleason, Fr. John Gido, Fr. Tony Joseph, Fr. Robert Lucas, Fr. Michael Polanichka, Fr. Michael Rustick, Fr. Jonathan Tobias, Fr. John Zboyovski, Fr. David Smoley, Pani Donna Smoley, Pani Connie Miloro, Pani Eleanor Pribish, Matushka Gail Mathewson, George Arghyrou, Douglas Borkowski, Stephen Brancho, Emma Burkell, John Candia, Sandy Carlisle, Gail Collister, Robert Collister, James DeHaven, Mark DeHaven, Mary DeHaven, Peter Dimitriadis, Helen Douglas, Irene Fendya, Miko Jovanovich, John Kloss, Richard Koerner, Jean Kramer, Don Kuzmin, Olivia Kuzmin, Evelyn McCambridge, Mike McCambridge, Guy McIntyre, Orestes Mihaly, Serge Mihaly, Mark Mizak, Robert Perevuznik, Sr., Barbara Scheibeck, Richard Schrader, Irene Schwab, Elizabeth Skalko, Isabella Smith, Ignatius Thompson, Vicktor Volpe, Cheryl Walker, David Walker, Jake & Lauren, Steven, Katlyn Wyant, George Yurcan through the prayers of St. Nectarios the Wonderworker & St. Panteleimon the Great- Martyr and Healer For Expectant Mothers Pani Eleni Stagon, Sarah Fucsko, Andrea Heberle, Brenna Mihaly through the prayers of St. Anna, the Mother of the Virgin Mary For the Repose of Bishop Athanasius Akunda, Fr. Nicholas Palun, Pani Magdaline Blaschak, Pani Mary Kundla, Pani Patricia Patrick, Barabara Banosky, Ann Burdick, Lousie Butts, Thomas Candia, Ann DiMarco, Anna Evanisko, Alvin Irwin, John E. Kelley, Dennis Kormos, Kyle Lomme, Shane Murdock, Mildred Paproski, Imogene Savko, Patricia Slonaker, Rade Uzunovski May their memories be eternal! If you have someone you would like to be added to the prayer list, please see Fr. Nick 4

5 WEEKLY OFFERINGS Sunday, February 17, 2019 DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR HEALTH GIVEN FOR Tamara Kloss Husband John Kloss John & Tamara Kloss Friend Becky Phyllis Tarasovich Herself and Family Theodore & Patricia Molly Themselves and Family Theodore & Patricia Molly Son Tim Molly s Birthday, February 22 Douglas & Patricia Borkowski Themselves and Family Borkowski Family Pam Jaruszewicz Margaret Lucas Granddaughter Eleni Dimitriadis Birthday, February 18 James & Nancy DeHaven His Mother Mary DeHaven James & Nancy DeHaven George Yurcan John & Donna Novak Themselves and Family John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Uncle Peter & Aunt Marge Sima Kathleen Boyce Families of Brother John Lipchik Jr. and Husband Gary Boyce DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR THE DECEASED GIVEN FOR John & Tamara Kloss Her Parents Very Rev. Proto. Ronald & Pani Dolores Hazuda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Father Michael LaBoda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Mother Virginia LaBoda George Yurcan Parents Wasyl & Aniela Yurcan and Deceased in Family Richard & Susanne Demchak Beloved Parents Joseph & Susan Demchak Dr. George & Kitty Kuzmishin Beloved Family Members John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Parents John Sr. & Helena Lipchik David Lipchik Parents Steve & Ann Lipchik John Katsikes Memory of Loved Ones Phyllis Tarasovich Deceased in the Tarasovich and Kelley Families Reader David & Debra Tarasovich Grandson Carter Robert Egloff Douglas & Patricia Borkowski Her Parents Thomas & Ann Burdick and His Father Walter Borkowski James & Nancy DeHaven His Father George DeHaven s 9th Anniversary of Death, Mar. 2 James & Nancy DeHaven Her Mother Louise Butts Thomas & Stephanie Ward and Family Her Grandmother Mary Burik s 21st Anniversary of Death, Feb. 4 Thomas & Stephanie Ward and Family Her Grandfather Emil Burik CATEGORY AMOUNT CATEGORY AMOUNT Candles Diocesan Assessment Loose Change 2.00 Grove Security Deposits Regular Envelopes Grove Rentals Social Hour Kielbasa Sales Total Income 2, ATTENDANCE Divine Liturgy for the Three Hierarchs (Tue., Feb. 12): 7 Adult Education Class (Tue., Feb. 12): 3 Moleben to St. Nectarios (Wed., Feb. 13): 7 Vespers for the Presentation of the Lord (Thu., Feb. 14): 5 Divine Liturgy for the Presentation of the Lord (Fri., Feb. 15): 8 Vespers (Sat., Feb. 16): 3 Divine Liturgy (Sun., Feb. 17): 46 5

6 To Ponder Two Sundays before the beginning of Great Lent, the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32) is read. That is the reason that particular Sunday came to be known as the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. In order to give Christians a vivid reminder of their withdrawal from their Heavenly Homeland and of their bondage to sin, following the polyeleios Psalms at the Vigil, the Church chants Psalm 136 (KJV Ps. 137), By the Waters of Babylon. It is chanted on each of three Sundays preceding Great Lent. Babylon was the capital of the empire of the same name, and was the place to which in 597 BC several thousand Israelites were taken from Judea and its contiguous province. Babylon went to war against Judea, and for several centuries, the Judean Kingdom ceased to exist. Seventy years after its defeat, when Judea was being restored, it was under Persian rule; later it came to be ruled by the Greeks and by Rome. Never again was there an independent Kingdom of Judea. It was only in 1948 that the independent State of Israel was created. With their bondage, the Israelites lost not only their independence, but also their capital, and worst of all, they lost the Temple of which the Lord had spoken to Solomon as being His place of residence. It was only there, in the Temple, that sacrifices were brought, that Holy Days were celebrated, and it was there that Jews from throughout the Mediterranean area assembled for the greatest religious celebrations. Thus, finding themselves in bondage, they remembered Zion. Zion is the central hill in Jerusalem around which the city was built, and next to which the Temple of Jerusalem was erected. Upon the willows in the midst thereof i.e. already in Babylon did we hang our instruments. For there, they that had taken us captive asked us for words of song. And they that had led us away asked us for a hymn, saying: Sing us one of the songs of Sion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten. Let my tongue cleave to my throat, if I remember thee not. If I set not Jerusalem above all other, as the head of my joy. Remember O Lord, the sons of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem, who said: lay waste to her, lay waste to her, even to the foundations thereof. Edom refers to descendants of Esau, who had sold his birthright to his brother Jacob, who in turn became one of the Patriarchs of God's chosen people. The Edomites were constantly at war with the Judeans, and even participated in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians; they took joy from the captivity of the people of Israel. O daughter of Babylon, thou wretched one, blessed shall he be who shall reward thee wherewith thou hast rewarded us. Blessed shall he be who hall seize and dash thine infants against the rock. (Psalm 136) Here is sorrowful poetry about what 6

7 prisoners, exiled from their homeland and brought to a strange land, are experiencing. This psalm is chanted before Great Lent begins. It does not describe the condition in which a sinner finds himself; rather, it calls him to repentance. This is because often one does not admit his own sins, but comparing himself to others, thinks, I of course am not without sin, am not a saint, but I am no worse than many other people. Here, this person is even worse than I; well, of course, I need to repent, but overall, I have not done anything bad. In introducing this Psalm into the Vigil before the Sunday of the prodigal son, the Church calls us to this kind of suffering experience. Is our condition not that same departure from God experienced by the sons of Israel? They found themselves far from their homeland, were deprived of their land, their independent government, their culture, and worst of all, deprived of the Temple, of the presence of God, something they had enjoyed during the massive holiday celebrations in Jerusalem. It is just to such reflection that the Church calls us during the pre-lenten period: to take a look at our sins and consider: have they not become the reason we are sad, despondent, bereft of joy, feeling that God is not as near as He had been before? After all, it is sin that becomes the barrier between man and God. Psalm 136 tells us about how we come to forget that joyous state that we had experienced when we first came to the Faith, when we were baptized, and had revealed to us the Truths of the Divine Gospel. We come to forget the remarkable moments of the Divine Services when the Lord had touched our hearts. It seems to us that everything has been left in the past, and that now there is only sorrow, despondency, apathy, and laziness... The Church reminds us that the reasons for this forgetfulness can be like unto those that in days of yore brought the Jews defeat and Babylonian captivity: those reasons are selfassurance, pride, and rejection of God's will. In the Book of Daniel, the Prophet, finding himself captive in Babylon, wrote: O Lord, shame of face belongs to us, because for our sins our fathers found themselves transported to a strange land. It is to such a self-critical appraisal that the Church calls us, so that we might recognize over the course of Great Lent, what is the reason for us to have lost purity, light and joy all that is given to us by God when we are near Him.. God grant that we might hear the challenge contained in Psalm 136, By the Waters of Babylon, of which the Church reminds its children before Great Lent begins. The Church understands the reference to infants dashed against the rock as opposition to the temptations warring against us, temptations which we should decisively reject. The Psalmist describes our forgetting of a time of grace-filled joy as extreme ungratefulness to God. Merely giving a place in our hearts to this base feeling becomes a source of awful desires. Let my right arm wither, and let me be struck dumb, if I should forget Thee, O Jerusalem, the place of my joy and happiness. May the Lord bless all of us over the course of Great Lent to feel our sins, as the Israelites in the Babylonian captivity felt the loss of their homeland. Archpriest Victor Potapov 7

8 CAMP NAZARETH SUMMER CAMP 2019 The time for Summer Camp is Rapidly Approaching!!! The clock is ticking!! REGISTER ONLINE STARTING MAR. 1, 2019!!! ========================================================= Dates for the Summer Camping Program Week 1: July 14-20, 2019 Pittsburgh, Mid-Atlantic, Tri-State and Washington D.C. Deaneries Week 2: July 21-27, 2019 New England, NY, NJ, Florida and Canada Deaneries Week 3: July 28-August 3, 2019 Johnstown, Pocono, Southern Tier, Youngstown and Chicago Deaneries ========================================================= Register Online Starting March 1, 2019 Register at campnazareth.org From the Home Page, From the 2019 Summer Camp Icon, or From the Diocesan Summer Camp Tab found under the Summer Camp Tab and look for Camper Registration. If you are Clergy or a Volunteer go to the 2019 Summer Camp Icon on the Home Page or the Diocesan Summer Camp Tab found under the Summer Camp Tab and look for the paper forms under Clergy/Volunteers. ========================================================== $20 Early Bird Discount Per Child!!!! (one-time only, not per week) Register & pay by May 15, 2019!!!! Online Registration MUST be complete AND payment must be submitted by May 15 in order to qualify for the Early Bird Discount. Registrations after June 15 will incur an additional $20 late fee. When you register online please note that you will still need to submit a paper copy of the Medical Examination Form (i.e. Camper Physical) which must be filled out and signed by a licensed medical professional (licensed physician or physician s assistant). This form will be ed to you after you complete the online registration process. Payment by check, money order, or credit card is accepted. Checks and Money Orders are to be made payable to Camp Nazareth and sent to Camp Nazareth at 339 Pew Road, Mercer, PA

9 Faith & Fellowship for Young Adult Orthodox Christians WHEN: Saturday, March 2, 2019; 2:00 PM WHERE: VOODOO BREWERY Meadville; 215 Arch Street; Meadville, PA WHAT: An afternoon of food, drinks & socializing with other Orthodox Young Adults with a presentation by Fr. Daniel Mathewson, Pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church 9

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11 March 2019 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Tentative Calendar February 2019 S M T W T F S March 2019 S M T W T F S April 2019 S M T W T F S CHURCH 31 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 24 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy :00 PM Adult Class :30 AM Soul Saturday Divine Liturgy 2:00 PM Orthodoxy on Tap 5:00 PM Vespers 3 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 4 5 6:00 PM Lenten Adult Class 6:30 PM Moleben to St. Nectarios :00 PM Vespers 10 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 11:00 AM Board meeting Lent Starts; Strict Fast 6:00 PM The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 11 6:00 PM Adult Class 12 6:00 PM Paraklis to the Mother of God 13 6:00 PM The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete :00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 5:00 PM Vespers :30 AM Divine Liturgy :00 PM Adult Class 6:00 PM Paraklis to the Mother of God :00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 9:30 AM Soul Saturday Divine Liturgy 23 5:00 PM Vespers 24 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy :00 PM Adult Class 6:00 PM Moleben to St. Nectarios :00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 9:30 AM Soul Saturday Divine Liturgy 30 5:00 PM Vespers 31 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 4:00 PM Deanery Mission; Warren, OH Page 1/1 11

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